Ammunition magazine



Oct. 21, 1947. J c, TROTTER 2,429,497

AMMUNITION MAGAZINE Filed Aug. 10, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 llll i y r" q C NVENTOR L 8 7 JOHYN c, TROTTER ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 21, 1947 AMIVIUNITION MAGAZINE John C. Trotter, Williamsville, N. Y., assignor to Bell Aircraft Corporation, Buffalo, N. Y.

Application August 10, 1943, Serial No. 498,057

3 Claims.

This invention relates to ordnance, and more particularly to improvements in ammunition magazine devices for use in conjunction with relatively heavy-caliber, rapid-fire guns such as aerial cannon or the like.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an ammunition magazine which is particularly adapted to be mounted in conjunction with a gun carried upon a combat airplane wherein space provisions are of critical importance.

Another object is to provide a new and improved ammunition magazine for the purpose aforesaid which is adapted to nest compactly within a typical aircraft streamlined body portion in improved manner and to feed the associated gun with improved facility.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the specification hereinafter.

In the drawings;

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a magazine of the invention, shown in conjunction with an aerial cannon;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation, on reduced scale, of the magazine of Fi 1;

Fig. 3 is a section along line 3-3 of Fig. 2, on an enlarged scale; and,

Fig. 4 shows a detail of the ammunition feed mechanism.

The invention is illustrated herein as comprising a magazine designated in which is mounted upon the casing portion I2 of an aerial cannon having a barrel M. Th ammunition feedway portion of the cannon is indicated at I5 (Fig. 2). It will be understood, however, that the features of the invention may be provided in connection with magazines constructed so as to be adapted for employment in conjunction with cannon or guns of types other than the gun shown in the drawings. In any case, the gun to be serviced by the magazine will embody an ammunition feedway portion equivalent to the portion designated [-5 in the drawings; and the gun-connecting end portions of the magazine will in every case be so formed and arranged as to be adapted to detachably connect to the associated gun for purposes explained hereinafter.

The magazine comprises a generally loopshaped ammunition storage trackway which is interrupted at a portion thereof to provide a pair of spaced opposed end portions adapted to fit into detachable connection with corresponding ammunition-receiving and shell-rejecting ports of the feedway portion of the associated gun. Thus, as shown in the drawings, the lower portion of the magazine trackway comprises a pair of track extensions directed laterally in opposite directions from the associated gun and curving upwardly and thence over the position of the gun in return directions to join at a position above the gun, so as to provide a continuous loopshaped trackway including a portion of the gun feedway structure. The trackway is so formed as to be adapted to mount therewithin a complement of ammunition rounds arranged in side-by-side relation and adapted to be slidably moved throughout the curving path of the trackway for feeding said rounds successively into the ammunition feed mechanism of the associated gun.

An ammunition feed control device in the form of an endless belt is carried by the magazine to move relative to the fixed structure thereof in such manner as to motivate the ammunition load thereof in accord with the ammunition feed requirements of the gun. To relieve the feed pawl mechanisms, such as are customarily provided in such guns, of the relatively severe loads in connection with providing proper intermittent movements of the entire ammunition train in connection with successive ammunition charging operations of the gun mechanism, I provide an auxiliary motive mechanism in connection with the magazine control belt. The auxiliary motive mechanism is of novel character and is arranged in conjunction with the magazine in novel manner whereby to provide maximum efficiency in the gun feeding operation, and to reduce space requirements of the complete magazine unit to a minimum while providing overall an ideallyshaped magazine trackway arrangement for obtaining smooth ammunition feeding operation and maximum ammunition capacity.

More specifically, the drawings illustrate the magazine of the invention as comprising a pair of magazine sections Iii-l8; each of which is in the form of a generally C-shaped frame structure carrying lug devices at IQ for interconnection by means of a bolt 20. The lower end portions of the frame sections l6-I8 are provided with any suitable type of quick-detachment connection device, such as indicated at 22-24; and it will be understood that one of the connection devices such as at 22 may be arranged to be first disengaged whereby the track section Iii may be disconnected from the gun by suitable manipulation of the connection device 24. Thus, the magazine is arranged to be mounted relative to its associated gun as a unit therewith. If preferred, the magazine may also be arranged to be additionally supported from suitable fixed structure externally of the gun by means of a bracket extending therefrom to the magazine track sections through means of the connection devices Ill-2U. In any case, it will be understood that the magazine trackway will be provided to comprise a generally circular frame which is in registry, intermediately of its lower level, with the ammunition feed mechanisms of the associated gun.

The trackway structure aforesaid may be fabricated, as illustrated, to comprise spaced and parallel track rails 2628 which are maintained in proper spaced relation by means of tie members 30 in such manner that the rail portions 26-23 are adapted to support in slidable relation thereon the corresponding end portions of a plurality of ammunition rounds. As indicated at 32, the rounds are mounted in side-by-side relation so as to extend individually in directions transversely of the magazine track structure. Corresponding end flange portions 3436 are formed in conjunction with the rail portions 26-28 to extend therefrom for the purpose of guiding the ammunition rounds against displacements in longitudinal directions and away from seated position upon the track rails.

To maintain adjacent ammunition rounds in proper spaced relation and to control movement of the ammunition load throughout the extent of the magazine in connection with feeding the associated gun, a feed control belt is employed which comprises a plurality of plates 40 formed of sheet metal or the like. Each plate 40 is formed with coacting hinge connection devices 4! at opposite ends of the plates whereby the latter are articulated to provide, when assembled upon the magazine, an endless belt of plate-like sectlons. The magazine structure carries a slideway device for supporting the control belt thereon in such manner as to be adapted to revolve upon the magazine slideway while maintaining a profile contour which is parallel to and inside of the profile of the ammunition trackway portion of the magazine. For this purpose the slideway structure is illustrated as comprising spaced rails 42-42 adapted to bear outwardly against the control belt to maintain it in snug-riding manner upon the rails. Each plate 40 is perforated, as at 43, to engage the feed pawl device of the associated gun. A pair of outstanding end plates 44-44 are mounted upon the magazine frame to guide the control belt against lateral displacements away from bearing position upon the rails 42. The members 4244 are conveniently carried upon the cross ties 30 of the magazine structure.

Each plate portion 40 of the control belt mounts a U-shaped spring device having opposed upstanding finger portions 48 adapted to resiliently hold therebetween the longitudinally mid-portion of an ammunition round (Fig. l); and thus the spring devices 48 are adapted to receive and position individual ammunition rounds upon each of the belt plates 40. Adjacent ammunition rounds are thereby arranged to be relatively spaced in accord with the ammunition feed requirements of the associated gun, While the rounds are mounted in side-by-side relation within the magazine upon the control belt device in proper attitude for feeding into the gun charging mechanism. Auxiliary ammunition cradle arms may be provided as indicated at 48 in conjunction with each belt plate 40 to assist the spring devices 46 in maintaining the ammunition load in suitably supported relation.

Thus, it will be appreciated that the magazine trackway is adapted to be loaded with a complement of ammunition rounds from externally thereof by simply pressing individual rounds into side-by-side relation within the trackway so as to be individually gripped by the spring devices 46 of corresponding plate elements 40; and that thereby the entire extent of the magazine trackway externally of the associated gun mechanism may be loaded with ammunition with utmost facility. The feed control belt threads through the ammunition feedway portion l5 of the associated gun, and thus the customary feed pawl mechanism of the gun is adapted to act upon the ammunition load coming into registry therewith in such manner as to pull the rounds successively into the charging mechanism of the gun.

It will be appreciated, however, that the inertia of the ammunition load when relatively heavy caliber rounds are employed requires relatively large forces to start the movements of the ammunition load relative to the magazine trackway for feeding the charging mechanism of the gun, especially if it is desired to operate the gun at relatively rapid rate. In order to relieve the customarily furnished feed pawl mechanism of the associated gun from the excessive acceleration, I provide an auxiliary motive power device in combination with the ammunition trackway in special manner so as to avoid enlarging the space requirements for reception of the gun-magazine unit in the mounting airplane.

As illustrated in the drawings, the auxiliary power device comprises a shaft 50 which is rotatably mounted upon a pair of bearing brackets 52 and 53 extending from the fixed structure of the magazine trackway. Intermediately the ends of the shaft 50 is a sprocket wheel 54. which is rotatably mounted upon the shaft 59, and also a hub 58 which is fixed to the shaft so as to rotate therewith. A ratchet wheel 58 is also mounted upon the shaft 50 in non-rotatable manner and so arranged as to engage at its toothed peripheral portion with a pair of oppositely disposed springpressed ratchet pawls 59 carried by the sprocket wheel 54. Hence, the wheel 54 is mounted to be free-wheeling relative to the shaft 50 in one direction only. The ratchet wheel 53 carries an abutment 60 adapted to cooperate with a dog 62 which is supported by the shaft 50 and which is freely rotatable in relation to the shaft 50 and to the ratchet wheel 58. The dog 62 is shaped to rotate into registry at one of its sides with the abutment 60 and at its other side with a stop abutment 64 which extends rigidly from the bracket 52 (Fig. 3). Thus, the ratchet wheel 53 is only free to rotate until the abutment 60 picks up the dog 62 and carries it around until it meets the abutment 84, whereby rotation of the sprocket wheel 54 as a driving means is limited for a purpose to be explained hereinafter. A clock-type spring 65 is mounted within a case 66 which is fixed to the stationary bracket 53. The outer end of the spring 65 is connected as at 68 to the fixed case 86, while the inner end of the spring is keyed to the hub 56 which is fixed to the shaft.

The shaft 50 is formed to extend at one end thereof and to be squared as indicated at 69 so as to be adapted to be engaged by a wrench for winding the spring 65 relative to the sprocket. Thus, it will be understood that upon loading the magazine with each fresh supply of ammunition the spring 65 may be manually wound so as to thereby impress a torque upon the sprocket 54 tending to rotate the latter in the direction of feeding of the ammunition control belt. Then, upon commencement of firing, the

operation of the associated gun feed pawl mechanism will function partially as an escapement device thereby enabling the auxiliary power spring 65 to motivate the ammunition feed belt relative to the magazine trackway in accord with the ammunition feed requirements of the gun during the initial stages of the magazine emptying process. The auxiliary spring and power supply mechanism is preferably arranged, however, so that the auxiliary power supply operation continues only so long as the ammunition feed belt is pulling ammunition in an upward direction as viewed in Fig. 2. Subsequent to emptying of the ascending section of the magazine the resistance to ammunition movement throughout the magazine will be of greatly reduced order, and the forces of gravity acting upon the descending portion of the magazine load at the left-hand side of the magazine will be suflicient for auxiliary power purposes. The stop devices 60-62- 64 are therefore preferably so arranged as to enable the sprocket 54 to rotate, in the case of the drawing, a little less than two revolutions whereupon the dog 62 has been carried into abutting relation with the stop 64 to hold the spring forces in abeyance. The free-wheeling mechanism of the motive device thereupon permits the sprocket 54 to rotate as a free agent along with the ammunition feed control belt.

Thus, it will be appreciated that the invention provides an ammunition magazine and gun feeding arrangement which is particularly advantageous and productive of improved gun firing results when used in conjunction with relatively heavy caliber aerial cannon or the like, and that the magazine and auxiliary power mechanism thereof is so arranged as to occupy minimum space within the mounting airplane while providing at the same time maximum ammunition capacity for the space occupied by the magazine. The skin profile line of an airplane fuselage mounting the gun and magazine unit is indicated at 10, showing how compactly the unit nests therein. Due to the fact that the auxiliary power supply device of the magazine is carried by the circular structure of the magazine in the region of one of the curving end portions thereof and at a position offset to one side from the position of the associated gun, the space within the magazine immediately above the gun is unoccupied by any magazine structure or feeding mechanism and may be usefully employed by disposing other gun battery or general aircraft mechanisms to extend therethrough.

Due to the fact that the auxiliary power supply device is automatically cut out of operation by the time the ascending moving portion of the ammunition load is eliminated, the operation of the assist feed mechanism is thereby automatically adjusted to suit the variable requirements of the installation, This is because the forces of gravity acting upon the descending moving portion of the ammunition load are sufficient to assist the ammunition feed pawl mechanism of the associated gun for the purpose of feeding the ammunition from the magazine during the major phases of that operation.

Iclaim:

1. In combination, an ammunition magazine comprising a loop-shaped trackway having both ascending and descending ammunition travel portions, belt means carried by said magazine and adapted to engage the ammunition load thereof and to be pulled upon to move said ammunition load to feed through said magazine, auxiliary motive means carried by said magazine and comprising a power unit having a driven element thereof extending into engagement with said belt means, and stop means operatively associated with said auxiliary motive means to interrupt power delivery therefrom subsequent to emptying of a portion of the ascending ammunition travel portion of said magazine and prior to emptying of the descending travel portion thereof.

2. In ordnance, an ammunition magazine comprising a trackway having both ascending and descending ammunition travel portions, feed control means carried by said magazine adapted to engage the ammunition load thereof and to be pulled upon to move said ammunition load to feed through said magazine, and auxiliary power means carried by said magazine and comprising a power unit having a driven element thereof extending into engagement with said feed control means, said auxiliary power means including a stop device operable automatically to interrupt power delivery therefrom subsequent to emptying of a portion of the magazine ascending travel portion and prior to emptying of the descending travel portion of said magazine.

3. In ordnance, an ammunition magazine comprising a trackway having both ascending and descending ammunition travel portions, feed control means carried by said magazine adapted to engage the ammunition load thereof and to be pulled upon to move said ammunition load to feed, through said magazine, and auxiliary power means carried by said magazine and comprising a power unit having a driven element thereof extending into engagement with said feed control means, said auxiliary power means including a stop device operable automatically to interrupt power delivery therefrom subsequent to emptying of a portion of the magazine ascending travel portion and prior to emptying of the descending travel portion of said magazine, and a free wheeling connection device between said auxiliary power means and said feed control means to permit the latter to move independently of said auxiliary power means after the interruption of said power means.

JOHN C. TROTTER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 696,118 Thorsen Mar. 25, 1902 819,153 Michele May 1, 1906 1,140,715 Purcell May 25, 1915 1,314,013 Mulvey Aug. 26, 1919 1,907,342 Capell May 2, 1933 2,329,308 Trotter et al Sept. 14, 1943 2,335,449 Salisbury Nov. 30, 1943 2,341,869 Johnson Feb. 15, 1944 2,372,750 Tompkins et a1. Apr. 3, 1945 2,382,715 Hertel Aug. 14, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 373,677 Italy Aug. 1, 1939 489,828 Great Britain Aug. 4, 1938 

